Information input device for giving input instructions to a program executing machine

• US 20030117377A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kita, Kensuke, Horie, Hiromasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position

Abstract

An information input device has a device body made of an elastically deformable material. The device body can be held in a palm and operated with one hand. The device body is provided in its face with a touchpad. A pressure sensor and an acceleration sensor are independently provided in the device body. The device body includes therein an RF module for transmitting a sensor signal from each sensor to a personal computer. By a control unit (CPU) in the device body, for example, a determination signal for determining an operation on the touchpad as input data is assigned to the pressure sensor, and a canceling signal for canceling the determination signal is assigned to the acceleration sensor. Thus, the user need not operate the device body on a desk or the like. The user can easily hold and operate the device body with one hand, without restriction of place to operate.

Claims

1. An information input device for giving input instructions to a program executing machine, comprising:

a device body;

a vibrator provided in the device body;

a sheet-like sensor provided in a face of the device body to sense a touch of a human finger and the touched position; and

a sensor signal transmitter that transmits a sensor signal of the sheet-like sensor to the program executing machine.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator vibrates at least the sheet-like sensor.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

the device body comprises a pressure sensor that senses a predetermined operation independently from the sheet-like sensor.

4. The device according to claim 3, further comprising:

the device body comprises an acceleration sensor that senses a predetermined operation independently from the sheet-like sensor and the pressure sensor.

5. An information input system comprising:

a program executing machine that comprises a menu display unit for displaying a menu display on an image display unit; and

an information input device that comprises a designating unit for designating a menu item on the menu display,

wherein the information input device further comprises an input unit that inputs a designated menu item to the program executing machine in the case an acceleration is detected.

6. An information input method comprising the steps of:

displaying a menu display on an image display unit connected to a program executing machine;

designating a menu item on the menu display by a designating unit provided on an information input device; and

inputting the designated menu item to the program executing machine in the case an input unit provided on the information input device detects an acceleration.